Community honors Walt McLeod

NEWBERRY — Retired State Representative Walton J. McLeod is usually the one saluting the people of Newberry County, but recently he was the one saluted during a tribute event at the Old Newberry Hotel, which was overflowing with people.

During the event, hosted by the Friends of Walt McLeod, McLeod was honored by multiple government agencies and friends he has made while working for the people of South Carolina.

Honors from government representatives:

State Senator Ronnie Cromer kicked off the presentations talking about his friend and when he ran against him in 1998.

“Due to some ill-advice, I chose to run against Rep. McLeod, he’ll tell you he beat the socks off me, and I don’t know why I listened to that bad advice,” Cromer said.

During that campaign, Cromer recalled one evening where he was out checking on his political signs with his brother. Cromer remarked that during a campaign, “signs tend to get destroyed from time to time.”

While they were riding around, Cromer noticed one of McLeod’s signs had been run over.

“We were going through Little Mountain and I told my brother I was going to stop and tell Walt that his sign was down,” Cromer mused. “It was almost dark, I went and knocked on his door and as he approached the door, he kind of backed up and looked at me like, here’s my opponent, I think he didn’t know if he should call Sheriff Foster or what.”

Cromer would go on to become the state senator, he said it was then McLeod and he became friends.

“Walt has about ten years on me, and he was more seasoned in the way of politics than I was,” Cromer said. “Walt had a way to look at an issue, examine all sides, then pick it up and look at it underneath. He taught me a lot and I’m in deep gratitude for him bringing me along.”

Cromer then discussed what they are doing at the State House to honor McLeod. He revealed that McLeod’s brother, former Senator Peden McLeod, had a bridge named for him in Colleton County and his father, Walton J. McLeod Jr., had a road named for him.

Now, Walton J. McLeod III will also have a bridge named after him in Newberry County. Cromer said they picked the bridge on College Street, near Lindsay Furniture. There will be a naming ceremony at a later date.

Todd Johnson, chair of Newberry County Council, was next up to honor McLeod.

“We are here to honor one of the finest men. Mr. Walt, I’ve had the privilege of knowing, watching and respecting you. You are a man who exemplifies constituent service, exemplifies treating his fellow man right and exemplifies server good,” Johnson said. “When I began thinking about running for public office, Walt called me and wanted to encourage me to run. I said, ‘Mr. Walt, I don’t know if I know what it means to be in politics.’ He said, ‘Todd, you’ve been running for this office your whole life, you just didn’t know it yet.’”

Johnson then told McLeod that he ran an incredible race his entire life and thanked him for not just serving the community, but serving the Lord by serving the community.

“We are blessed by that,” he said.

Johnson then presented McLeod with a Newberry County Council Proclamation, honoring McLeod for his years of service to the county, signed by all members of council.

Mayor Foster Senn then came up to present McLeod the Key to the City of Newberry, but prior to that he told him that he has always appreciated McLeod’s friendship and guidance.

“He has a heart for city government. He has been there when we had problems and issues. We could call Rep. McLeod and he would do everything he could to help us. He has been there for every important meeting, event, giving us pep talks and motivation and has been a great friend to our city council and city staff,” Senn said. “I think his constituent services is unmatched.”

Senn joked that along the way, he thought McLeod cloned himself, because he was at every event, without fail.

“Rep. McLeod, you’ve been there not only for government events, but constituents to celebrate life events and to be supportive, that is something we hold a great honor for the residents of Newberry,” Senn said as he presented McLeod the Key to the City.

Following the government presentations, and right before the speakers, Robert Matheson, local artist and organizer of Newberry Made, presented McLeod with a piece of art made in his honor.

“I drew this sketch of Walt as a tribute to you, thank you for your service and being such a good friend,” Matheson said.

Speakers:

Phil Leventis, former state senator, spoke of McLeod and the strong family that stands with him, saying that any acknowledgement McLeod receives must be an acknowledgement of the whole family.

“No one can achieve positive and significant, wonderful, constructive and amazing things he has without the people around him who love him, support him and believe in him,” Leventis said. “We all know how special Walton is, his parents and school must have recognized that many years ago because he went to Yale.”

Leventis said he asked a family member how it happened he went to Yale.

“The judge quickly said, Walton had been a good son of South Carolina and actually gone to Wofford for summer school while at college,” Leventis said. “Who else but proud South Carolinians would have made excuses to why Yale wasn’t the only higher education institution that influenced Walton McLeod.”

Leventis went on to say that McLeod spent over six decades in public service and during that time, he said McLeod and his wife, Julie, were always willing to help those in need.

“Walt helped me when I needed it, I’m certain he helped others in his selfless way. My responsibility today is a great honor and privilege, on behalf of those thousands of people Walton and Julie have helped, for all those many years, I get to say thank you,” he said.

Mandy Powers Norrell, former state representative, said that one of her favorite sayings to hear from McLeod is, “I’d like to pay you a compliment.”

“People of Newberry County, I’d like to pay you a compliment. Do you ever go to a party, and it is a party where you bring a gift, and you know your gift is the best gift and you cannot wait for the person to open it? That is what you gave the state of South Carolina when you gave us Walt McLeod,” she said. “Other people had a chance to give their gifts from around the state, they weren’t near as good as the one you gave when you gave Walt McLeod.”

Norrell said it was such a pleasure to have served with McLeod and to be his friend. She spoke of working with McLeod and seeing him in his office, after everyone else had left, reading every single bill that would be on the calendar the next morning.

“Whether he was supporting or not supporting, he always worked to improve them,” she said. “Even knowing he didn’t support it, and knowing it would pass, he made it a better bill because he was paying attention. Thank you for giving him to the state, if you hadn’t done that, I don’t know if I’d ever had met him and become friends.”

Archie Parnell spoke of meeting McLeod in 2017 when he ran for the Fifth Congressional District.

“I wanted to say that Walt was extraordinarily helpful to me during my campaign, he taught me so very much. He is full of suggestions,” he said.

Following the speakers, the massive crowd was able to hear from the man himself. He first took a moment to thank everyone for attending and those who worked diligently to plan the event.

“I was wondering whether this was some kind of visitation,” McLeod joked.

He then said it was a pleasure, privilege and an honor to be a legislator and to be a part of the Newberry community. He also said he tried hard to be an effective legislator and had some success.

“I wanted you to know another thing, I was overwhelmed by this extensive biography on this program. I thought to myself, what a wonderful future you have behind you,” he joked.

McLeod ended by saying he strived to make Newberry a better place.

“I want each and every one of you to continue to build a strong and better Newberry County, Newberry City and Newberry College!” he said.